Bishop of Rochester facts for kids

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Coat of arms
Location
Ecclesiastical province	Canterbury
Information
Established	604
Cathedral	Rochester Cathedral

The Bishop of Rochester is a very important leader in the Church of England. This person is in charge of the Diocese of Rochester, which is a special area or region within the church. The Diocese of Rochester is part of the Province of Canterbury, a larger church region in England.

The main home of the Bishop is in the town of Rochester. Here, you'll find the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, which has been a cathedral since the year 604. For a long time, in the 1600s and 1700s, the Bishop of Rochester was also the leader of Westminster Abbey. This practice stopped in 1802.

Today, the Diocese of Rochester covers two areas in London and a large part of West Kent. This includes places like Medway and Maidstone. The Bishop's official home is called Bishopscourt, and it's also in Rochester. The current Bishop of Rochester is Jonathan Gibbs, who started his role on May 24, 2022.

A Look Back: The History of the Diocese

The Diocese of Rochester is one of the oldest and smallest church areas connected to Canterbury. It was started by Saint Augustine in the year 604. He appointed Saint Justus as the very first bishop. After a few Roman bishops, all the bishops until 1066 came from the Christian people of Kent.

The area covered by the diocese was mainly the western part of Kent. It was separated from the rest of the county by the River Medway. Because the area was quite small, it only needed one archdeacon (a church official) to look after all 97 churches.

For many years, the Archbishop of Canterbury had the power to choose the Bishop of Rochester. However, around 1148, Archbishop Theobald gave this right to the Benedictine monks of the cathedral. They chose the bishop for the first time that year.

Who Were the Bishops?

Many bishops have served the Diocese of Rochester over the centuries. Here are some of the key periods and notable figures.

Early Bishops (Before 1066)

The first bishops were appointed even before the Norman Conquest of England.

Bishops from the Conquest to the Reformation

This period covers bishops who served after the Norman Conquest and before the major changes of the Reformation.

Bishops of Rochester (1066 to 1500s)
From	Until	Bishop's Name	Important Notes
1076	1077	Arnost	He died while in office.
1077	1108	Gundulf	He helped build Rochester Castle and the White Tower.
1148	1182	Walter	He died while in office.
1274	1277	Walter de Merton	He was also a Lord Chancellor (a high government official).
1319	1352	Hamo Hethe	He later resigned from his role.
1468	1472	Thomas Rotherham, Bishop of Rochester. Thomas Rotherham	He later became the Bishop of Lincoln.

Bishops During the Reformation

The Reformation was a time of big changes in the church. These bishops served during that period.

Bishops of Rochester During the Reformation
From	Until	Bishop's Name	Important Notes
1504	1535	John Fisher, a famous Bishop of Rochester. John Fisher	He was a Cardinal and is considered a saint. He was executed.
1544	1547	Henry Holbeach	He later became the Bishop of Lincoln.
1547	1550	Nicholas Ridley, another important bishop. Nicholas Ridley	He was also executed for his beliefs.

Bishops After the Reformation

This list includes bishops who served after the major church changes of the Reformation.

Bishops of Rochester (After the Reformation)
From	Until	Bishop's Name	Important Notes
1560	1571	Edmund Gheast. Edmund Gheast	He later became the Bishop of Salisbury.
1638	1646	John Warner. John Warner	He was removed from his role when Parliament ended the role of bishops.
1646	1660	The role of bishop was stopped during the time of the Commonwealth.
1660	1666	John Warner was reinstated. John Warner (restored)	He got his job back when the role of bishops was brought back.
1684	1713	Thomas Sprat. Thomas Sprat	He died while in office.
1713	1723	Francis Atterbury. Francis Atterbury	He was removed from his position.
1827	1860	George Murray. George Murray	He died while in office.
1940	1960	Christopher Chavasse. Christopher Chavasse	He retired from his role.
1994	2009	Michael Nazir-Ali. Michael Nazir-Ali	He retired.
2022	present	Jonathan Gibbs, the current Bishop of Rochester. Jonathan Gibbs	He is the current Bishop of Rochester.

Assistant Bishops

Sometimes, a diocese might have an Assistant Bishop. This person helps the main bishop with their duties. They often have experience from other church roles or areas.

• 1928–1939: Lanchester King, who was a former Bishop of Madagascar.
• 1941–1947 and 1950–1967: John Mann, who was a former Bishop in Kyushu in Japan.
• 1965–1978: Keith Russell, who was a former Bishop of Northern Uganda.